Revelations 21:7-8, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
In 2007 Gallup conducted a poll asking what Americans believed most about God and Heaven or the devil and Hell. The results were amazing. Most Americans, 77 percent, believed in God and Heaven and rated their chances of going to heaven as real good to excellent. Few saw themselves as hell bound.
It is most important not what Americans think will happen it is what Jesus said will happen at the judgment. Most people are afraid of the Book of Revelations because they do not want to think about or face the fact there is a judgment and Jesus will be the judge. It is impossible to think biblically about heaven and Jesus without coming face to face with the fact that those who only think about him and only know about him will not go to heaven. You must know Jesus, be washed in the blood and have your name written in the Lambs Book of Life. You must be someone He knows!
In the book of Revelations Jesus is once again warning, as he did during His earthly ministry about the coming judgment and that hell is a real option for those who reject Him. From His throne in heaven Jesus declares for the wicked, and for the unbelieving, and for those who fear men rather than God---the end is an everlasting death, the lake of fire. Hell was created for the devil and his angels not for man but man will be sent there if he rejects the love and forgiveness God is offering. If God created something so awful that the devil and his band of angels will suffer there you would think man would not try to get there. The truth is many will go there and just look who are numbered in verse 8. No you don’t have to believe it and no you will not be forced to accept Jesus but what will happen if you don’t? Better still what will happen when you do accept Jesus? Heaven will be your new home with streets of gold and a mansion in which to dwell. You will be in the family of God.
While there is complete forgiveness and unconditional love in Jesus Christ, there is also everlasting judgment for those he describes in Revelations 21:8. Being good won’t get you into heaven, church membership won’t, being important in the community has no value for heaven entrance, education is meaningless at heaven’s gate, what then does it take to go there; asking Jesus to forgive you to come into your heart, accepting that He is the Son of God and paid your sin debt on the cross. That is all it takes to get to go to heaven. Without that you will hear these words, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels”. Trust and obey and you will hear, “well done thou good and faithful servant.” Which words do you want to hear?
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